Artistic Inspiration or Appropriation?

When does advertising “go too far” in referencing art, culture, or sourcing inspiration? Who “owns” a creative concept, and is the very idea of such ownership productive and practical?

In the midst of Super Bowl season — when many of the world’s top agencies release a slew of virtually sure-to-be-seen TVCs — the BBC interrogated the topic of when advertisers “over[step] the mark — particularly when they reference the work of artists.”

It’s a contentious issue, to be sure, and our very own MD, Neil Christie, was duly asked to comment on the BBC story. “It becomes tricky where there are a few sources of inspiration, one of which might be something which was a similar concept to something that appeared in a piece of work by an artist,” said Christie.

This is but a sliver of the story, which you can read in full on the BBC website. Delve into the debate and comment below to share your thoughts.